In the latest incidents, eight idols have been vandalized in three Hindu temples in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh and Dinajpur in two days, a media report said on Friday. According to The Daily Star newspaper, police have arrested a suspect in a temple vandalism case.
These are the latest in a series of incidents against the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh.
Three idols from two temples were vandalized in the Haluaghat sub-district of Mymensingh in the early hours of Thursday and Friday. Quoting temple sources and locals, Haluaghat police station officer-in-charge (OC) Abul Khair said the attackers vandalized two idols of the Bondarpara temple in Shakui union of Haluaghat in the early hours of Friday.
Reading: 4 arrested for damaging Hindu temple, houses in Bangladesh
He said no case has been registered yet in the incident and no arrests have been made.
In another incident, criminals vandalized an idol at the Polashkanda Kali temple in Beldora union of Haluaghat early Thursday. Police on Friday arrested a 27-year-old man from Polashkanda village for his alleged involvement.
The OC said that during interrogation, the man named Alal Uddin confessed to his crime. He said that he was produced in Mymensingh court this afternoon, from where he was sent to jail.
Earlier on Thursday, Polashkand Kali Mandir Committee President Suvash Chandra Sarkar had registered a case accusing unknown people.
Reading: Temples set on fire in Dhaka, center burnt, claims ISKCON
Five idols were vandalized at the Jhadbari Shashan Kali temple in Dinajpur’s Birganj sub-district on Tuesday. According to the report, this incident came to light on Thursday. Temple committee chairman Janardan Roy was quoted as saying, “We have never seen such an act here.”
Officer-in-charge Abdul Ghafoor said that they are investigating the incident.
Last week, law enforcement agencies arrested four people for vandalizing and damaging a Hindu temple and community houses and shops in northern Bangladesh’s Sunamganj district.
On November 29, three Hindu temples were vandalized by a slogan-shouting mob in Chattogram, Bangladesh, which witnessed protests and violence after a former ISKCON member was booked under sedition charges.
Reading: Mob vandalized 3 Hindu temples in Chattogram, Bangladesh
Relations between India and Bangladesh came under strain after the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government came to power on August 5 after ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country following student-led protests.
Relations have worsened in recent weeks due to frequent attacks on Hindus, especially after the recent arrest of Hindu monk Chinmoy Krishna Das, a former member of ISKCON Bangladesh and now spokesperson of the Bangladesh Samishta Sanatani Jagran Jote organization.
Last week, Bangladesh acknowledged 88 incidents of communal violence against minorities, mainly Hindus, after Hasina was ousted from power.
The increasing number of anti-Hindu incidents has led to a diplomatic dispute between India and Bangladesh.
Earlier, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during his meetings with the Bangladeshi leadership in Dhaka highlighted the regrettable incidents of attacks on minorities and conveyed India’s concerns, including those related to the safety and welfare of minorities.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
